Decontaminate the Environment
The hospital environment can often harbor drug-resistant pathogens like MRSA, and other dangerous pathogens like Clostridioides difficile. This is especially true for “high-touch surfaces,” which are frequently touched by healthcare workers and patients, including intravenous poles, bedrails, and over-bed tables. Therefore, environmental cleaning plays a critical role in MRSA prevention.
This page focuses on measuring cleaning effectiveness, improving cleaning efficacy, and monitoring progress over time.
Presentations
After reviewing the content of this presentation, viewers will be able to:
- Discuss why environmental cleaning is critical.
- Understand the current state of knowledge regarding environmental cleaning.
- Explore interacting facets of environmental cleaning.
Documents:
- Optimizing Environmental Cleaning – Slides (PPTX, 5.3 MB)
- Optimizing Environmental Cleaning – Facilitator Guide (DOCX, 6.7 MB)
After reviewing the content of this presentation, viewers will be able to:
- Discuss aspects of an effective environmental cleaning (EVC) monitoring program.
- Describe strategies and considerations of quality of cleaning monitoring methods, with a focus on fluorescent gel monitoring systems.
- Discuss essential steps when implementing an EVC monitoring program.
- Explore roles best positioned to conduct EVC monitoring.
- Review methods for effective data feedback to drive improvement efforts and accountability of an EVC monitoring program.
Documents:
One-Pagers
One Pager: Environmental Cleaning: Monitoring Methods One-Pager (DOCX, 1.6 MB)
Provides a concise summary of the most common used to monitor cleaning and disinfection practices, outlining their advantages and disadvantages.
One Pager: Assessing Environmental Cleaning: Essential Aspects and Steps One-Pager (DOCX, 1.2 MB)
Offers a concise overview of the essential aspects and steps involved in establishing a program to assess environmental cleaning and disinfection practices.
One Pager: Who Should Take On the Task of EVC Monitoring? One-Pager (DOCX, 449 KB)
Reviews the advantages and disadvantages of utilizing personnel from various roles to monitor environmental cleaning and disinfection effectiveness.
Tools & Resources
Tool: Evaluating Environmental Cleaning With Fluorescent Gel (EFG) (DOCX, 461 KB)
This tool provides step-by-step instructions and a data collection form for fluorescent gel monitoring. It also includes a sample report template for tracking effectiveness over time. While originally designed for fluorescent gel monitoring, this tool can be adapted for use with other evaluation methods.
Tool: How To Randomly Order List of Rooms and High-Touch Surfaces (DOCX, 398 KB)
This tool provides instructions on how to randomize the selection of rooms and high-touch surfaces for placement and evaluation of fluorescent gel. Randomization ensures that data is objective, valid, and representative of overall cleaning. While originally designed for fluorescent gel monitoring , this tool can be adapted for use with other evaluation methods.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) registers and maintains listings for all disinfectants, specifying the organisms they are effective against. This webpage also provides lists of disinfectants that are effective against specific pathogens. Some of these lists are highlighted below:
CUSP Topic: What Are The 4 Es?
The 4 Es – Engage, Educate, Execute, and Evaluate – addresses both the technical objectives of improving practices and the adaptive objectives of establishing a culture of patient safety among staff and leadership. This link will direct you to the CUSP topic page on the 4 Es.
CUSP Tool: Staff Safety Assessment (DOCX, 388 KB)
The Staff Safety Assessment is a CUSP tool that gathers staff input and feedback on safety issues and areas for improvement. Involving Environmental Services staff in this process and encouraging their participation in identifying risks and developing solutions helps to foster a culture of patient safety and promote multidisciplinary collaboration.
